Rotary engine.



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(Applicaion filed Apr. 4, 1901.) l

4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Modem UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JAMES H. HoUsEMAN, or CONRAD, IowA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part-of Letters PatentNo. 696,047, dated March 25, 1902.

Appiittnon flied April 4, 1901.

`Serial1l'o. 54,359. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. HoUsEMAN, acitizen of theUnited States, residing at Con-f` rad, in the county of Grundy andState of Iowa, have invented a newand useful Rotary Engine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary engines,and more particularly to the expansion type of` engines, the object of the invention being to provide a construction which will have a high efficiency, wherein the Valve mechanism will be positively and accurately operated, and in which the direction of rotation of the piston may be reversed at will.

A further object of the invention is to provide for displacement of the cut-off valve' when the engine is reversed, so that steam will be admitted at the proper times in both directions of movement of the piston. 1

Other objectsand advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. Y

In the drawings, forming a portion. of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the complete'engine.Y Fig.'2 is a vertical section through the engine, takenY in a plane at right angles to the engine-shaft. Fig. 3 is a section on line?) 3 of Fig. 2, -with the reversing-valve in its intermediate position and the piston-heads in alinement therewith; and Fi g. eis a detail View, on a larger scale, of the abutment of the engine. Y

Referring now to the drawings, the engine consists of a cylinder 5, having a central expansion-chamber 6 andthe reducedend portions 7 and S, the heads 9-and 10 of the cylinder having bearings therein to receive the piston-shaft 11,- thesebearings being hereinafter specifically described.A Upon thel shaft 11 is fixed the annular piston 12, the ends of which enter the reduced end portions of the interior ofthe cylinder, theends of the piston being grooved peripherally to receive packing-rings 13, `which bear against the inner faces of the reduced portions of the cylinder to prevent passage of steam longitudinallyzof and beyond the ends of the piston, and to properly center the piston in the cylinder triangular blocks 14 are disposed in the Y end portions of the cylinder and have adjusting-screws lconnected thereto and engaged with threaded perforations in the wall of the cylinder. By rotating these screws the blocks are moved radially of the cylinder, and the piston, which rests with its ends thereagainst, is correspondingly adj usted. The expansion- Vchamber of the cylinder has a regular curvature concentric with the piston, excepting at the upper portion thereof and at one side of its vertical diameter, Where it is attened, as shown'at 17, to touch the piston. The end walls of the expansion-chamber, resulting from the reduction of the diameter of the interior of the cylinder, are beveled, as shown at 18, to conform to the bevels at the ends of the piston-heads 19.' These piston-heads 19'consist of metal blocks slidably disposed in slots 20, formed longitudinally of the piston, and which are heldlnormally and yieldablyproje'cted by means of the leaf-springs 21, disposed in the slots` and bearing against the bottoms of the slots and the under sides of the blocks,so that the outer edges of the heads are held against the inner surface of the cylinder, the beveled formation of the heads and the Vends ofthe expansion-chamber insuring a close tit between the contacting faces as they may wear away. Whenth'e piston in its rotation bringspa head thereof to the flattened portion of the expansion-chamber, this Iattened portion acts to press the head inwardly, and when the head is carried beyond the iiattened portion itmoves outwardly, this inward and outward movement being, of course, gradual, and as the attenedpo'rtion touches the piston it is here that the abutment of the engine is located. 4

The abutment of the engine is shown at 22 and consistsof a plate or block,J which is slidably mounted in the groove 23, formed longitudinally of a plug or core 24,'which is disposed centrally in a cylindrical chamber 25 in the chest-26 of the engine, and leading around to opposite sides of the abutment and through the wall of the expansion-chamber are the two steam passages or ports 28 and 29, which form the inlet and outlet ports of the cylinder interchangeably. Thus if steam be admitted through port 29 it will enter between the abutment and the piston-heads successively to ro the plug or core from the upper side'thereof.

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tate the piston to the right, and when the piston-head nally reaches the abutment the steam behind it will be exhausted through the port 2S, the lower portion of the wall of each of these ports being slotted, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit of exhaust of steam before the head has reached the abutment. If steam be admitted through port 2S, the direction of rotation of the piston will be reversed and the steam will be exhausted through port 29.

To communicate the ports 28 and 29 interchangeably with the steam-supply and each alternately with the supply and exhaust, a cylindrical or plug valve 30 is provided and is disposed in the chamber 3l of the steamchest in such manner as to cover the upper ends of both ports, the core 24 having a longitudinal cross-sectionally arcuate groove 32 in its upper face, which the lower face of the plug-valve enters. The plug-valve is hollow and one end thereof communicates with the exhaust-pipe 33, and in the side of the valve is a longitudinal slot or port 34, leading to the interior thereof, and which port when the valve is rocked registers with the ports 28 and 29 interchangeably to communicate them alternately with the exhaust-pipe. In the outer face of the plug-valve there are formed t-wo steam-channels 35 and 36, which extend part way around the plug and are so disposed that when the port 34 is in registration with port 2S passage 36 is in communication with port 29 to permit of passage of steam through the passage or channel to port 29 and thence to the eXpansionchamber of the cylinder. Then the valve is rocked to the opposite position to communicate port 34 with port 29, then passage or channel 35 is in communication with port 28 to permit of passage of steam through the latter to the cylinder at the opposite side of the abutment from port 29.

Connected with the steam-chest is a supply-pipe 38, and between its point of communication and the chamber 3l is a passage 39, which includes an annular chamber 40,* in which is disposed a rotatable plug cut-ot valve 4l, having a port 42 therethrough and which when in one position connects the passage-sections at opposite sides thereof, while at other times it cuts off communication between these two sections of the passage. As the port 42 is formed diametrically through the valve, the sections of the passage are of course broughtinto communication twice during each complete rotation of the valve, and the steam through the passage is cut oi and turned on an equal number of times to cor- .respond to the number of piston-heads carried by the piston. To rotate the cut-of valve at the same speed with the piston, so that steam may be admitted at the proper times, the engine-shaft is provided with a gear 43, meshing with a gear 44 on a stubshaft 45 on the end of the cylinder, and which in turn meshes with a gear 46 on the protruding end of the spindle of the cut-olf valve, the several gears being of equal diameters,

with the exception of the central gear, which may of course have any desired diameter. If the gears were rigid upon their shafts, the cut-o6? valve would always be moved to admit steam to the cylinder when the pistonheads reached the same point, and while this would be proper in one direction of rotation of the piston it would result in admitting steam in advance of each head when the engine was reversed. To prevent this, the gear 46 is mounted loosely upon the spindle of the cut-olf valve and has a segmental recess therein, in which is disposed a spline or pin 48, which permits of limited movement rotatably ofthe gear upon the spindle, and this rotation is about forty degrees, which is equal to the vangular distance between the positions of the heads at opposite sides of the abutment when steam should be admitted to drive the piston in opposite directions. Thus when the reversing-valve is operated to reverse the direction of the rotation of the piston the gear 46 has forty degrees of lost motion with respect to the valve, and the heads of the piston will thus be permitted to move past the abutment before steam is admitted. The reversing-valve is provided with a lever 50 for operating it.

In order that the engine may be started should it stop at any time when the cut-olf valve is closed, a by-pass 5l is formed around the cut-o6? valve and is provided with avalve 52 for opening and closing it, the stem of the valve being passed through a stuffing-box 53 and having a lever 54 for operating it.

The bearings for the piston-shaft include each a bushing 55, which is screwed into an opening 56 in a head of the cylinder and the inner surface or bore of which is tapered in the direction of the outer end of the bushing, the inner end of the bushing being partly closed by a washer 57, which encircles the shaft and bears against the end of the piston. In the bushing are disposed frusto-conieal rollers in contact with the inner face of the bushing and with the shaft, and against the outer minor ends of the rollers is disposed a washer 58. A stuffing-plug 59 is screwed into the end of the bushing, and between it and the outer washer is disposed stuing material 60.

With this construction it will be seen that there is provided a simple and durable engine the parts of which are efficiently packed, while the direction of rotation of the piston may be reversed at will.

In practice modifications of the specic construction shown may be made and any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It will be noted that the abutment is tapered from its upper edge downwardly, while the recess inwhich it is disposed has parallel sides, the greatest width of the abutment being somewhat greater than that of the recess. Thus, as shown in the drawings,

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the steam-pressure against one side of the abutment acts to tilt it, so that one lowerv edge impinges against the piston, the steampressure against the upper face of the abutment acting to hold -it snugly down against the piston.y Vhen the direction of rotation is reversed in the manner above described, the steam-pressure moves the abutment to the other side of the recess and tilts it oppo sitely, as will be understood.

l. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder including a central expansionchamber and reduced end portions, a piston in the cylinder and having its ends disposed in the reduced portions of the cylinder, said piston havinglongitudinal slots therein ,heads slidably mounted in the slots and having means for holding them yieldably projected and in contact with the periphery and end walls of the expansion-chamber, means for moving the headsv into the piston, a chamber opening at one side into the cylinder, a plug disposed centrally in the chamber and spaced from the walls thereof to form ports leading to the cylinder, an abutment in the plug and entering the cylinder ata point between the ports, a'valve-seat in the upper side of the plug, a steam-supply, a valve in the seat for communicating the ports alternately with the steam-supply, a steam-exhaust, said valve being adapted to communicate theports with cation with the supply, and a cut-off valve for the steam-supply operably connected with the piston.

2. lA rotary engine comprising a cylinder having a piston rotatably mounted therein, a chest for the cylinder, a chamber communicating with the chest and cylinder, a plug in the chamber and separated from the walls thereof to form steam-ports leading from the chest to the cylinder atan abutment-in the plug between the ports, a hollow oscillatory plug-valve disposed in the chest and having a port opening thereinto and adapted for registration with the ports interchangeably, to communicate them'withthe interior'of the plug, an exhaust-pipe withwhich the plugvalve-communicates, said valve having also peripheral channels communicating with the chest and adapted for registration with their respective ports interchangeably with the registration of the port in the plug-valve therewith, a steam-supply leading to the chestand .aout-olf valve between the supply'and the plug-valve and operably connected with the piston.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder and its piston, of an abutment, a socket in which said abutment is guided, said abutment having a widened base about equal to the width of the socket and converging side walls so disposed with respect to the socket-walls that the abutment, under pressure of the steam, will present a sharp edge or corner for contact with the periphery of the piston in both directions engine.

4;. A rotaryengine comprising a cylinder having a pistontherein and provided with heads, an abutment in the cylinder, a steamchest having ports leading to the'cylinder at opposite sides of the abutment, an exhaust, a valve for communicating the portsalternately and interchangeably with therchest and the exhaust, a steam-inlet for the chest, a cut-off valve between the steam-.inlet and the reversing-valve and having a spindle, a gear-wheel mounted loosely upon the spindle and having a segmentally-recessed portion tting over a spline or pin on said spindle, and gearing connecting said gear-wheels to the main shaft ofthe engine, substantially as specified.v

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder having openings -initsy ends, `of bushings engaged with the openings and having their bores tapered outwardly, a piston in the cylinder and having a shaft disposed v through the` bushings, frusto-conical rollers disposed between the shaft and bushings, and

stuffing-glands engaged with the bushings,

said glands and rollers having washers disposed therebetween.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. HOUSEMAN.

Witnesses:

JOHN MoRRow, Jr., J. T. HoUsEMAN.

of movement of the 

